Bulldog Baseball Shows Heart And Guts

You may have read on one social media account or another, or one site online or another that the Baseball Bulldogs mounted a furious combeback in the top of the 6th inning to down the Johnson County Longhorns on Friday evening in Mountain City.  After waiting through a 30 minute lightning delay in the 3rd with a 3-0 lead, to take that lead into the 5th, only to see the lead turn into a four run deficit, due in no small part to several defensive miscues, it could have been a disheartening, disappointing evening in Johnson County.  After being challenged by Coach Perkins down the left field line, the fight the Bulldogs showed was special.  

Morgan Lyons led off the top of the 6th with a double to right-center.  Caleb Royston followed with a single to right field that scored Lyons (7-4 Longhorns).  Josh Owens hit a ball past the Longhorn first baseman down the right field line that advanced Royston to 3B (Owens advanced to 2B on an error by the JCHS right fielder).  Parker Henry then stepped up and singled up the middle, scoring Royston (7-5 JCHS) and advancing Owens to 3B.  Hitting in the sixth spot in the batting order on Friday, Conor Jones singled up the middle, which scored Owens (7-6 Longhorn lead).  Parker Henry was forced out at second base on Conor's single because he had to hold tight in between 1B and 2B, not knowing if the JCHS centerfielder was going to catch the line drive.  With one out, McKinley Kuhn advanced Jones to second base on his grounder to 1B.  With two outs, Brody Hicks came up big!!  The sophomore, who had been scuffling, hit a double in the right-center gap to score Jones and tie the game at seven runs apiece!  Collin Morgan then struck out, but the third strike was dropped was Johnson County's catcher.  The catcher's throw to 1B in an attempt to retire Morgan was high for an error that advanced Hicks to 3B and allowed Collin Morgan to be safe at first base.  Rookie sensation, Chance Point then singled in between the Longhorn third baseman and shortstop to score Hicks and give the Baseball Bulldogs a 8-7 lead!  With two outs, the inning concluded when the Longhorn right fielder made a nice diving catch of a Morgan Lyons fly ball.  

Caleb Royston was summoned out of the Bulldog bullpen to relieve Josh Owens, who gave up three earned runs in five innings.  Royston did not allow a Longhorn to reach base in the bottom of the 6th or 7th to earn his first career save and give Owens the win.  Two nice defensive plays retired Johnson County batters to start the 7th (JCHS had the top of the order up to bat), a sharp, late hop was snared by shortstop, Josh Whitson who threw to Kuhn at 1B for the first out.  The second out was recorded on a nice play by Owens at 3B.  The final out was recorded by Morgan Lyons when the JCHS batter popped up on a two seam fastball.  

Hampton once again travels to Johnson City on Monday to battle the Providence Academy Knights.